Wednesday links: Using ‘and’ or ‘but’, and long-term sitting

I love regularly reading tips and advice articles in certain subjects — particularly writing and publishing. I don’t always need the information right then, but I know that it’ll eventually come in handy. Or at least, I hope it will.

I know there are a lot of other people out there who feel the same way I do, but sometimes it can be difficult to find every useful advice article that’s out there. So I thought I’d bring you a few.

Here are the tips and advice articles that jumped out at me the most over the past week.

1. Beginning a Sentence with And or But, from Daily Writing Tips: I don’t know about you, but I was always taught that you should never begin a sentence with words like ‘but’ or ‘and.’ As I dedicated more time to writing, however, I found that I didn’t necessarily agree with that rule. And I’m sure I’m not the only one. Excerpt: “Several opinions about what is permissible in writing have acquired an almost religious authority with some English speakers. One of these opinions is that beginning a sentence with the coordinating conjunctions and and butis an unpardonable breach of usage.”

2. Reversing the Deadly Effects of Long-Term Sitting, from Books & Such Literary Management: As writers, we tend to spend a lot of time sitting at a desk or table. It can be very good for our work — but very bad for our health. Excerpt: “A few years ago, I was shocked when a friend said, ‘Sitting is the new smoking.’ What!? I spend my days…sitting. Once I land at my desk, I forget to move.”